Hand-me-down Carseats

There is an expiration date on car seats. It is printed on the underneath of the seat. The protective foam in the seat breaks down over time and is not reccomended for use after that date.

I don't have the facts on this but I do think I recall something about 7 years. I do know that in the last couple of years they have changed a lot about car seats like the latch system and the tether. If the used car seat doesn't have those, you might want to reconsider using it.

Typically carseats do have a retirement date printed / stamped into the seat somewhere (on the base, or the backside, under the cushions, etc.). However, a carseats lifespan - barring good condition with no cracks or accidents - is about 10 years.

How old is the carseat? If under 5 yrs then I would definetly use it especially if she has the handbook for it still. I hand them down from my oldest child to my youngest child and that's even a few years. If older than 5yrs then I would probably consider using it as a spare unless money is that tight. Better safe than sorry when you are talking about a carseat. I did use a high back booster seat for my son when he was 4yrs old that was a hand me down at least 6yrs old, but that was used with the carseat belt so I felt that was ok. Anyway I don't know if there are any real rules about it, just use your best judgement.

you can call your local police dept or go to car seat safty .com and they have all the answear for you if you live in clinton county there is a place that give out free car seat i have never used and second hand car seat for the everday one just because of all the use they get .but if you live in clinton county let me know and i will pass more info on the car seat for you

it will usually say right on the back of the carseat, kinda in raised plastic letters-or sometimes they will have a sticker on the side of them, they do have experation dates, I don't know if they are unsafe after those dates, you could also check online, just enter in the make and/or model and that should give you some good info

Right from the horses mouth the AAP here is the direct link for ALL car seat safety issues..... http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm

Q: What about using a used car safety seat?
A: Avoid using used car safety seats, especially if obtained from a yard sale or secondhand (consignment) shop because there is no way to know the seat's history. Also never use a car safety seat that

* Is too old. Look on the label for the date it was made. Do not use seats that are more than 10 years old. Many manufacturers recommend that car safety seats only be used for 5 to 6 years from the date of manufacture. Check with the manufacturer to find out how long the company recommends using its seat.
* Has any visible cracks in the frame of the seat.
* Does not have a label with the date of manufacture and model number. Without these, you cannot check to see if the seat has been recalled.
* Does not come with instructions. You need them to know how to use the seat. You can get a copy of the instruction manual by contacting the manufacturer.
* Is missing parts. Used car safety seats often come without important parts. Check with the manufacturer to make sure you can get the right parts.
* Is a shield booster. Although shield boosters are still around, the AAP recommends against their use. Major injuries have occurred to children in shield boosters. The only time shield boosters should be used is if the shield is removed and the seat is used with a lap and shoulder belt. (See "Booster seats" on page 8.)
* Was recalled. You can find out by calling the manufacturer or by contacting the following:
- Auto Safety Hot Line: Toll-free: 888/DASH-2-DOT (888/327-4236), from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/childseat.cfm

Does the carseat you received from your friend have an owner's manual with it? If so, I would definitely call the 800 number on it to check to see if it may be a recall. This is the reason that the company asks us to always send in the info card right after purchasing one. I also know that carseats are only recommended to be used for six years after the purchase date. I know this because my daughter just had her "big girl" carseat put into our van by our tribal police department, and this is the information we were given on that day. If you decided to use the used seat for your child, it probably would be a great idea if you went by your local police department, just to get the go ahead on the installation. All in all, go with your gut instinct..........this is your daughter who would be in the carseat day in and day out, so use your best judgement! Good luck to you!

Hello L.

I had questions about that as well. I called the Macomb Health Department located on Garfield and 19 Mile. What I was told that they usually recommend that car seats not be used beyond the 5-7 year range. What she told me was that the plastic starts to break down and is not as safe. They also do car seat inspections at that location as well. You can look them up in the phone book and she can give you more information.

A.

I beleive that car seat is only good for 5 years. I would check with the mfg. just to be sure. I called one about 1 1/2 years ago and that is what they told me. Weather that is just because they want people to purchase new and improved seats I'm don't quite sure. Or it could be the plastic goes brittle on them. But... in any case I would just check with the mfg. or just call any, or try there web site.

i have heard that it is outdated in 5 years, but if you know the brand name you can probably go to their web site or they may have a 1-800 number right on it. they should be able to tell you for sure.

You probably found out the answer if you called the police dept., but I'll tell you what I was told at a carseat check a few months ago. They told me 4 years was best but 5 was ok. Anytime after that the plastic starts to wear out and may not be as strong as it should be in an accident, which could cause injuries to your child. The check was held by AAA and the Grand Blanc police department. So, you should ask your friend how long she had it. I looked at my sons convertible carseat and it has a manufactured date right on it, check for that also and don't use it if it's over 5 years old.

Keep your eyes open for car seat checks. The local police department offers them. I would even call and find out when they are offering one. They will check the seat, check how old it is, if there are any recalls, if it is installed correctly and if it is the right seat for your childs age/weight. They will give you a new seat if there are any problems what so ever with it for free.

M.
mom to Christina 15 1/2
Isabella, Logan and Brody almost 5

I think of it this way.... What happens to computers.... they outdate as soon as they hit the shelfs in stores. Every day there is someone tryin to make things better and better. Have any of u guys watched the inventor show where that guy made that carseat that looks like a bubble to me. Every day they are making cars to be safer and better. New carseats are going right along with the new technology in the world today. Everyone else made me curious about the dates on the carseats so i went and looked.... my sons infant carseat had a date of dec. 07 and the highback booster/ 5 point strap one that he is in now has no date. (even looked in the book) I would think that yeah over time wear and tear can come on the carseat like the padding but if it was in good condition still and nothing broke i wouldn't see why u couldn't use it unless of course it was like 10-15 years old. I am sure there is wear and tear then. Raising families are expensive just like the technology of today. Like always if in doubt ...... buy a new one.

HI.. Carseats expire after 6 years. You can usually find out the MFG date by calling the Manufacturer with the serial #.

To be safe I would just get rid of it.

I belive its 10yrs on car seats but if you look up the brand of the car seat you can put the seral numbers in and they should be able to tell you from there

Hi L.,
I read a lot of the other comments and didn't realize that carseats expire. It seems kind of funny to me. The car seat that both of my boys used was from my nephew who just turned 7. If we have more kids I will use the same carseat. As long as you know where it came from and is sturdy I would use it. Call you local fire department to have them check it out. Having kids is expensive and if you alliviate some of the cost I would do it. Just my opinion. Good luck.
Chris

I would only recommend using a hand me down in the mid-stages (the seats made for 20-40 lbs because kids are usually not in it for very long before they need the booster kind). I'd hang on to it for emergencies, or if you do not have one at the moment. But if I were you, I'd look into something new for someone so young. My son was two when I needed to buy a new carseat for him (the one I mentioned above, and he was honestly in it for 4 months...it is a shame that I might need to throw it away):). Car seats are made of plastic and are capable of snapping in the occurance of an accident. I'd be careful. Use that God-made intuition of all of us mommies... If you feel it is a bad idea, go and buy a new one! Don't second guess yourself. :)

I think the carseat manufactures tell you the seat only lasts so long so they can sell more car seats.. What kind of plastic breaks down in 5 year??? We put plastic in landfills and it lasts for decades.

If your child is securely strapped in the carseat.. and the carseat is securely strapped in the car. There is a very good chance taht the child will be safe in an accident.

i know that I want the safest spot for my child. but the prices of carseats has gotten absolutely crazy. I am not sure taht the $300 britax seat is 3 times as safe as the less than $100 regular brand of car seat.

Install the car seat correctly and you should have no problems. I know that I have seen infant carriers in cars with the infant forward facing... I have seen infant carriers just sitting in the car sideways... So many people do not use the car seats correctly that if you read and follow the instructions with the seats your child will be safer than most..

I heard that you should get a new carseat every four years. Definately find out when that one was purchased.

EXCELLENT question!

Car seats expire after 6 years.

If you look on the back of the seat it should give a manufactured date (month and year). Some seats also actually say: "Do not use after DEC06" or something to that effect. Some european made seats (Britax and Cosi, and just certain modles) will go up to 8 years, but are steel reinforced, not just plastic.

Also, the car seat you have should have the phone number to the manufacturer... if you don't have the instuctions call and give them your model number, they can send you a copy of the instructions for free.

And although you completely trust the friend that gave you the seat, it is possible she might not know about a recall if she's moved since filling out her registration, or if she didn't send in the registration card... so since your on the phone anyway, ask to double check.

Then, if the seat isn't expired, give them your address so that any future recalls will be mailed out to you!!

Hope that helps!! :)

C.

The recommended life span is 7 years. I beleive it's because of the modifications that are made over the years. If it's older then 7, I would retire it to a spare.

I looked into it 3 years ago for my first. I wanted to use my step son's retired carseat.

I hope this helps.

you can take the car seat to you local police cepartment they can tell you if you need a new one or not i took one to our sheriff department and they gave me a new one for my oldest daughter cuz the one i had was out dated .

Generally there will be an experation date on one of the stickers on the carseat. If you don't find one the general rule of thumb is 5-7yrs from date of manufacture

I read some where before that you shouldn't use a car seat that is more than 5 years old. I don't really remember why though. Before I read that, I had been given two car seats that were probably about that old or so, I've never had a problem with either of them. But I did buy a new one for my youngest. I just found a paper from DaimlerChrysler about car seats. You might want to check it out, it's www.seatcheck.org also, they have a phone number, 1-866-seat-check they will also offer a free child safety seat inspection. Hope that helps!
Have a great day,
J.
____@____.com

7 years-
Most car seat come with an expiration date printed on the bottom in the plastic now.
C.

Hi L.. Some careseats actually do 'expire'. There is usually a sticker or impression on the bottom or side of a seat that says something like do not use after this date. Take a quick peek and see if it is there, because you don't want your baby girl in a seat that is no longer considered 'safe' by the manufacturer. Also, you could call the manufacturer about it. The number should be in the booklet that came with it and the id numbers are on the carseats. We can't use the same convertible carseats for our kids (9 yrs and 6 mos) because the Graco we had for our son, which we bought brand new when he was three, expired two years ago. We had to buy him a new booster at that time (that he is still in), because he is too small for a regular lap/shoulder belt only. Good luck and take care. A.

Check the date stamped on it. If it isn't more than 6 years old I would feel comfortable using it since it's from a trusted friend. If she doesn't still have the manual I'd call the company to get a new one. If it's older than that I wouldn't use it. You can get a brand new car seat at Walmart or Target for $40 ($35 at Kmart right now). It's called the Cosco Scenera. It's not the most luxurious car seat out there but it's new and safe.

Believe it or not most car seats will have an experation date stamped in the plastic somewhere on the back of the car seat. I believe they are only good for 7 or 8 years. Check and see if some where on the back or the sides have this date. Or you can call the manufacture if you have the make and model tag on the car seat. Have a great day!